There but for the grace of God
Feb. 24th, 2012 07:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
captainsblogde·pose (d
-p
z
)
I feel like I met both of those definitions late today.
Back in December, I took a judgment- for a five-figure amount- against another attorney who practices near me, and, for a good segment of his practice, in the same place that I do. I offered him some courtesies before starting procedural stuff to enforce my client's claim, but by this afternoon, those accommodations had run out and he appeared in my office, on time, to be deposed as to his assets.
It wasn't a very long session. Dude is pretty close to the edge; he just got evicted from his offices, owes a butt-ton to the IRS and on his student loans, has an unemployed and now-disabled spouse, and is within sight of the Bankruptcy Courthouse door.
In 2010, the last year he had full records for, his law practice netted about $15,000 less than mine did. Some of that income, likely, was on account of the $10,000-plus of advertising he did with my client, which finally came home to roost by the end of 2011.
There are things I could do to press him, force him, scare him into paying something. But what did I find my heart transmitting to my mouth but a bunch of ideas on how he might be able to make more money in 2012? Pushing him into BK isn't going to help my client (or me, for that matter), and I'd rather work with him than on him right about now.
As I drove away, an old Rochester car dealer commercial started playing in my head; the context was different, but the message, totally fitting:
♫ It could be you....♫
-pz)v. de·posed, de·pos·ing, de·pos·es
v.tr.
1. To remove from office or power; to dethrone.
2. Law To take a deposition from.
I feel like I met both of those definitions late today.
Back in December, I took a judgment- for a five-figure amount- against another attorney who practices near me, and, for a good segment of his practice, in the same place that I do. I offered him some courtesies before starting procedural stuff to enforce my client's claim, but by this afternoon, those accommodations had run out and he appeared in my office, on time, to be deposed as to his assets.
It wasn't a very long session. Dude is pretty close to the edge; he just got evicted from his offices, owes a butt-ton to the IRS and on his student loans, has an unemployed and now-disabled spouse, and is within sight of the Bankruptcy Courthouse door.
In 2010, the last year he had full records for, his law practice netted about $15,000 less than mine did. Some of that income, likely, was on account of the $10,000-plus of advertising he did with my client, which finally came home to roost by the end of 2011.
There are things I could do to press him, force him, scare him into paying something. But what did I find my heart transmitting to my mouth but a bunch of ideas on how he might be able to make more money in 2012? Pushing him into BK isn't going to help my client (or me, for that matter), and I'd rather work with him than on him right about now.
As I drove away, an old Rochester car dealer commercial started playing in my head; the context was different, but the message, totally fitting:
♫ It could be you....♫
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no subject
Date: 2012-02-27 03:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-25 03:06 am (UTC)The ad made me LOL. Good one.
no subject
Date: 2012-02-26 01:43 am (UTC)